Louisiana Marsh Late Morning Fishing Charter
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Private 6hour Louisiana marsh fishing with Captain Brad D'AlfonsoTarget redfish, trout, sheepshead with all gear providedLate morning start perfect for winter fishing conditions
Captain Brad D'Alfonso knows the Louisiana marsh like the back of his hand, and this 6-hour private charter is perfect for folks who aren't keen on those crack-of-dawn starts. Starting later in the morning means you can grab a proper breakfast and still get on the water with plenty of time to work the best spots. The Louisiana marsh is prime inshore territory, with grass flats, oyster beds, and channels that hold some serious fish. You'll have the boat to yourself and two buddies, which means more personal attention and better odds of putting fish in the box.
This top-rated charter runs six solid hours, giving you plenty of time to work different areas without feeling rushed. Captain Brad provides all the tackle, rods, and reels you'll need, plus he's got the bait situation dialed in. The later start time is a customer favorite, especially during those cooler winter months when nobody wants to be out there before sunrise. You'll be targeting the Louisiana marsh's best species - redfish, speckled trout, sheepshead, southern flounder, and black drum. The captain knows where these fish hang out depending on the tide, weather, and season, so you're not just casting blind. At the end of the trip, your catch gets cleaned and bagged, so you're walking away with dinner ready to go. Just bring your Louisiana fishing license, some snacks, lunch, and drinks, and you're set.
The Louisiana marsh fishing game is all about reading the water and adapting your approach. Captain Brad runs quality spinning gear that can handle everything from finicky trout to bull reds that want to drag you into the grass. You'll be working with live bait, soft plastics, and topwater plugs depending on what the fish are telling you. The marsh has different zones - shallow grass flats where reds cruise looking for crabs, deeper channels where trout stack up, and structure like oyster beds that hold sheepshead and black drum. The technique changes throughout the day as tides shift and fish move. You might start with topwater early on, then switch to bottom rigs when the fish go deep, or work soft plastics along drop-offs. The captain handles boat positioning and knows how to keep you in the strike zone, whether that's drifting a flat or anchoring up on structure.
Redfish are the bread and butter of Louisiana marsh fishing, and these copper-colored fighters are what most anglers dream about. They range from schooling rats around 20 inches up to bull reds that can push 40 pounds. Spring through fall is prime time, but winter fishing can be world-class when you find them stacked up in deeper holes. Reds eat everything from live shrimp to cut bait to artificial lures, and they fight dirty - using their broad sides and the current to test your drag. What makes them special is how they feed in skinny water, sometimes with their backs out, cruising the flats like submarines.
Speckled trout, or sea trout as some folks call them, are the thinking angler's fish. They're beautiful with those distinctive spots and can be incredibly picky about presentation. The best speck fishing happens in spring and fall when water temperatures are right, though you can catch them year-round if you know where to look. They love grass beds, drop-offs, and areas with moving water. A good trout bite is pure magic - they hit soft plastics with authority and make screaming runs that'll test your nerves. Keeper specs run 15 inches and up, with trophy fish pushing 25 inches and 5 pounds.
Sheepshead are the marsh's most underrated fighters, and they'll humble you in a hurry. These black and white striped convicts have human-like teeth and incredible jaw strength, earned from crushing barnacles and oysters all day. They're structure-oriented fish that hang around pilings, rocks, and oyster beds. Fall and winter are trending seasons for big sheepshead, when they stack up thick around good structure. They're notorious bait stealers, but once you figure out their bite, they're steady producers and excellent table fare.
Black drum are the bulldogs of the marsh - not the prettiest fish, but they'll give you a workout. Big drum can weigh 30-50 pounds and fight like they're welded to the bottom. They're bottom feeders that love crabs, shrimp, and cut bait around oyster beds and mud flats. Spring is prime time for the big spawning drum, though you can catch them throughout the year. Their drumming sound, created by muscles vibrating against their swim bladder, is unmistable when you've got a school under the boat.
Southern flounder are masters of disguise, lying flat on sandy bottoms waiting to ambush prey. They're some of the best eating fish in the marsh, with sweet, flaky white meat that's perfect for the dinner table. Fall is flounder season when they migrate to deeper water, but you can catch them year-round in the right spots. They love ambush points like channel edges, jetties, and areas where baitfish travel. Flounder fishing requires patience and the right presentation - they like baits worked slowly along the bottom.
This private charter with Captain Brad D'Alfonso gives you everything you need for a renowned Louisiana marsh fishing experience. The later start time, expert guidance, and top-notch gear make it a best trip choice for groups who want quality over quantity. With only three anglers max, everyone gets personal attention and plenty of room to fish. The captain's local knowledge, combined with six hours of fishing time, gives you the best shot at putting together a memorable day on the water. Don't forget that Louisiana fishing license, pack some food and drinks, and get ready to see why the Louisiana marsh is considered some of the finest inshore fishing in the country.
Captain Brad's 24-foot Blazer Bay cuts through Louisiana marsh waters with serious fishing power. The 300HP Yamaha pushes this 2008 rig to 38 knots when you need to reach those hot redfish spots fast, but it's the wireless trolling motor that really shines in shallow water stalking. Built to handle up to 5 anglers, there's plenty of room for your group of 3 to spread out and work different techniques. The GPS keeps you on productive structure while the fish finder marks schools of speckled trout below. VHF radio ensures safe communication across the marsh. This boat handles everything from drifting live bait for sheepshead to sight-casting for tailing reds in skinny water. Perfect setup for working Louisiana's productive inshore waters where stealth and speed both matter.
Pogonias CromisBlack drum are the heavyweights of the marsh, ranging from schoolie 5-pounders up to massive 30+ pound bulls that'll test your drag. These gray-black bruisers hang around oyster reefs, muddy flats, and channel edges where they use powerful jaws to crush crabs and oysters. Spring is magic time when they school up for spawning - that's when you hear them "drumming" underwater. They're serious fighters with surprising speed for their size, and the smaller ones (under 15 pounds) make excellent table fare with mild, flaky meat. Winter months like this trip are perfect since they hold in predictable deeper spots near structure. Best bait is fresh blue crab - cut it in half and use a circle hook on the bottom. The key is being patient and letting them fully commit to the bait before setting the hook. They're notorious for picking up and dropping baits.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are Louisiana's signature game fish, easily recognized by their copper-bronze color and distinctive black spot near the tail. These marsh cruisers typically run 20-30 inches and 3-8 pounds in our shallow waters, though bigger "bull reds" show up in deeper channels. They love super shallow flats, oyster reefs, and grass beds where they root around for crabs and shrimp - sometimes in water so skinny their backs show. Year-round fishing is good, but winter concentrates them in predictable deeper spots during cold snaps. What guests love is their aggressive strikes and bulldogging fights, plus they're excellent eating with mild, sweet meat. They'll hit everything from topwater plugs to live shrimp. The key in winter is finding the warmer water pockets near deeper channels and using cut bait on the bottom. Look for nervous baitfish and muddy water - that's usually redfish stirring up the bottom while feeding.
Salmo TruttaSpeckled trout are the bread and butter of Louisiana inshore fishing, with their silvery sides covered in distinctive black spots. Most run 14-20 inches and 1-3 pounds, but 4-5 pound "gator trout" are always possible over grass flats and drop-offs. They cruise shallow waters hunting shrimp and small baitfish, especially around oyster reefs and grass beds. Winter fishing can be fantastic when they school up in deeper holes and channels during cold fronts. What makes them special is their willingness to hit both live bait and artificials, plus they're some of the best eating fish in the marsh with tender, flaky white meat. The bite is usually subtle - more of a "tick" than a hard strike. My winter tip is to slow way down with soft plastics on light jig heads, working them just off the bottom near drop-offs. When it's cold, they're less aggressive but still feeding.
Archosargus ProbatocephalusSheepshead are the "convict fish" of Louisiana waters with their distinctive black and white stripes, but what really sets them apart are their human-like teeth designed for crushing barnacles and crabs. These guys typically run 1-3 pounds and 14-18 inches, though 5+ pounders show up around deeper structure. They're always tight to cover - dock pilings, oil rigs, rock piles, anywhere barnacles and oysters grow. Winter fishing is actually great since they stack up around warm-water discharges and deeper structure. What anglers love is the challenge - they're notorious bait thieves with light bites, but once hooked they fight hard and make excellent eating with sweet, white meat. The trick is using small hooks with fresh shrimp or fiddler crabs, keeping your bait tight to the structure, and setting the hook at the first sign of weight. Don't wait for a hard pull or you'll just be feeding them.
Paralichthys LethostigmaSouthern flounder are masters of camouflage that lie flat on muddy and sandy bottoms throughout Louisiana's marsh system. These flatfish typically run 15-18 inches, though you'll occasionally hook into one pushing 2-3 feet. What makes them special is watching both eyes track you from the same side of their head while they perfectly mimic the bottom color. They're ambush predators that bury themselves and wait for shrimp, crabs, and small fish to pass by. Fall and winter are prime time when they move toward deeper channels and passes. The meat is sweet and flaky - some of the best eating in the marsh. My go-to trick is to drift slowly with live shrimp on a light jig head, letting it bounce bottom. When you feel that subtle tap, count to three before setting the hook - they like to mouth the bait first.
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